According to a previous patent held by the assignee of the present invention application FI91A.141, filed on 17.06.91; European Patent application No. 92830316.3) each roller of a fulling or similar machine has within it an electric motor, which is located with its axis orthogonal to that of the roller and which drives the roller through a very highly geared step-down system; use must generally be made of a ring bevel gear integral and coaxial with the roller, engaged with a bevel gear sprocket driven by the motor at a rate previously reduced through cylindrical gearing. This solution is relatively expensive, requires lubrication inside the roller, and has certain difficulties with respect to cooling, since there is no dissipation of heat directly from the motor to the outside.